How long do leftovers last? 6 honest questions about food safety : NPR

With all of the cooking, feasting and leftover-keeping that comes with the vacations, it may be exhausting to know preserve meals secure.

Generally we simply do what our households did rising up (like storing rice within the rice cooker all day). Generally we comply with what appears like widespread sense (if it appears to be like and smells alright, it must be OK to eat, proper?). However specialists urge slightly extra warning.

Francine Shaw, a meals security specialist, and Namandjé Bumpus, principal deputy commissioner on the Meals and Drug Administration, reply six trustworthy questions on meals prep and secure meals dealing with. If you wish to keep away from giving your visitors (and your self) meals poisoning this season, comply with their recommendation.

How real is the “five-second rule”? I’ve been following it since I was a kid. Sorry to break it to you, but “there’s no five-second rule,” says Namandje Bumpus, principal deputy commissioner at the Food and Drug Administration. If you drop a pretzel on the ground and there’s bacteria there, they’re going to get on your food. They’re not going to “wait for five seconds and sprint over,” says Bumpus.

My mom says I need to wash raw chicken before cooking it. Is that true? “Do not wash your poultry or any meat. You're gonna cook it” and kill the bacteria anyway, says Francine Shaw, a certified professional in food safety. If you wash your meat, you might be doing more harm than good. “The bacteria on the outside of the meat is being splashed all over your kitchen … or on any other food you might have sitting around,” she says.

Is it OK to eat this leftover pizza I bought a week ago? It looks and smells alright. Toss it. Food typically lasts three to four days in the fridge, according to the Department of Agriculture. Past that time frame, bacteria rapidly begins to grow. Even if your food seems alright, “you can’t see, smell or taste all the bacteria that can kill you,” says Shaw.
Unless of course, you happened to reheat it three or four days ago … more on that next.

This is my third time reheating this tuna casserole. Am I going to get food poisoning? Some people think you can only reheat a leftover once. But actually, you can reheat it multiple times, says Bumpus. And get this: “Each time you reheat it, it’ll keep in the fridge for another three to four days,” she says. Did you catch that? As long as you’re safely reheating your food – for leftovers that’s 165 degrees Fahrenheit – the clock starts over every time!

My mom leaves pots of food on the stovetop and rice in the rice cooker all day. Is that OK? Definitely not, say Bumpus and Shaw. Don’t leave any food out at room temperature for more than two hours, and if it’s over 90 degrees Fahrenheit outside, no longer than one hour, they say.

Expiration dates, use-by dates and sell-by dates. How seriously should I take them? Please throw food out once it’s expired, say our experts. But when it comes to use by and sell by dates, “those are more of a guideline, for nutrition and freshness. You can still use it,” says Shaw. If something in your fridge or pantry is past its sell by date, check for signs of spoilage. If it’s holding up, there’s no need to immediately chuck it in the bin.

Malaka Gharib is a Filipino Egyptian American journalist and cartoonist. She is the writer of the graphic memoirs I Was Their American Dream and It Will not At all times Be Like This. http://malakagharib.com

The comedian was illustrated and written by Malaka Gharib and reported by Andee Tagle. The editor is Becky Harlan. We would love to listen to from you. Depart us a voicemail at 202-216-9823, or e-mail us at [email protected].

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